QUICK ANSWER
How do you get into venture capital?
Start by choosing the right employer type and job function, not by applying indiscriminately to "VC jobs." Work out whether your strongest proof is investing, industry research, operating experience, technical expertise, fundraising or community building. Then target the firms and roles that value that proof, and show it with work, not just interest.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- There are eight types of employers, not one. Family offices, sovereign funds, asset managers, CVCs, banks and ecosystem platforms hire far more people than VC investment teams.
- Investing is one of seven job functions. Research, portfolio operations, investor relations, operations, technology and marketing are real careers, and often easier ways in.
- Proof beats interest. A memo, a market map or a measurable result tells employers more than "strong interest in VC."
THE CHAPTERS
Explore the 8-chapter venture capital career guide
WHERE TO GO
01Follow the money from capital owners to funds, startups and exits, and learn the question that distinguishes every institution.
5 MIN READ · READ CHAPTER →What each employer does, who it hires and who it suits, plus what you gain and what you give up.
17 MIN READ · READ CHAPTER →HOW TO APPLY
05Know when VC internships open, where opportunities appear and how to build relationships before deadlines arrive.
5 MIN READ · READ CHAPTER →A strong VC resume does not list everything you have done. It shows the proof each target role needs.
5 MIN READ · READ CHAPTER →The filters between your resume and an offer, and how to prepare for each one.
5 MIN READ · READ CHAPTER →START WHERE YOU ARE
Choose your venture capital career path
See which employers run structured programs, then when internships open and how to apply.
Chapter 2 →Chapter 5 →See which functions value technical depth, then follow the paths for candidates without VC experience.
Chapter 3 →Chapter 8 →Start with the entry method, then identify the alternative path that matches your background.
Chapter 4 →Chapter 8 →Compare all eight employers, then the functions beyond investing.
Chapter 2 →Chapter 3 →ABOUT THIS COLUMN
Who this venture capital career guide is for
This guide is for students (undergraduate, master's and PhD), international students, new graduates, and anyone from a non-finance background who wants to move into venture. If you are looking for a VC internship, applying for VC jobs, or simply trying to understand what jobs exist in venture and private markets, treat this as your map.
A note on scope. By "venture" I don't mean only venture capital firms in the narrow sense. I mean the whole ecosystem that forms around private capital, startups and non-public markets: capital owners, investment firms, corporates, transaction advisers and ecosystem platforms. The eight categories below don't sit at the same level of any single taxonomy. It is more accurate to call them the eight types of employers, and positions in the ecosystem, that you will run into.
Over the past two years, my team and I have worked with more than 100 financial institutions. We have been involved in the full recruiting process, from campus presentations and resume screening to written tests and interviews, and I have given career talks at Harvard, MIT, Imperial College London and Columbia.
Along the way, I've watched many students and job seekers get stuck in the same places:
- When they hear "venture," they only picture the VC investment team. But investment roles are exactly the ones with the fewest seats and the most competition.
- They have heard of Sequoia, KKR, Blackstone, Tencent Investment, Temasek and family offices, but can't explain how these organizations differ.
- Their resume lists several internships, yet none of them maps to what the target role actually needs, and in interviews they can't make the connection.
- They come from a non-finance, engineering or PhD background and don't know whether that is a weakness or an advantage.
The problem is rarely effort. It is usually a lack of direction.
So this guide doesn't start with "what is venture capital." Instead, I want to offer a simpler method. Choosing a job in venture comes down to three questions:
- Where to go: Where does the money come from, where does it flow, and which organizations sit along the way?
- What to do: Inside those organizations, what jobs exist besides investing?
- How to get in: Which path fits your background, what proof do you need, and how do you apply?
The guide follows these three questions. We start with how money flows and compare eight employer types. Then we cover seven job functions. Finally, we move through the application journey: the entry method, internships, resumes, interviews and alternative paths for candidates without prior VC experience.
TAKEAWAYS
How to choose a venture career: 3 questions
This guide is long. If you remember only one thing, let it be these three questions:
- Where to go: understand how money flows, and know there are eight types of employers, not just VC.
- What to do: investing is only one of seven functions. Portfolio support, IR, marketing and technology are good opportunities too.
- How to get in: connect your background to the target role, build proof, then apply with a tailored resume.
Choosing a career in venture isn't about fighting for the most popular role. It's about finding the position that fits you best.
Next in Venture 101: choosing between tech companies and startups. Should you join a Series C robotics company? Is a new business unit inside a big company worth joining? And how should you think about startup equity? After that, we'll invite investors from North America, the UK and Hong Kong to share what they see on the ground.
If you're building a startup, or need role matching and referrals, get in touch.
VENTURE CAPITAL CAREERS FAQ
Jobs, recruiting and career paths
What jobs are there in venture capital and private markets?
There are seven functions: investment and transactions; research; portfolio and startup support; fundraising, LP and client relations; finance, legal and operations; product, data and technology; and marketing and community. Investing is just one of them, and only about a third of the roles in Venture Jobs 100. See What to do for each function.
What does a VC do every day?
Sourcing deals, meeting founders, researching sectors, doing due diligence, writing investment memos, attending investment committee meetings and supporting portfolio companies. The earlier the fund, the more it values sourcing and judging people; the later the fund, the more it values financial analysis and deal execution. Continuously learning new technologies and industries also takes a lot of time.
VC vs PE: what is the difference?
VC invests in early-stage companies and often has to judge team, market and technology with little information. PE invests in mature or growth-stage companies and relies more on modeling, valuation and deal structure. In typical campus-hire roles, PE usually pays more, while VC's long-term upside comes mostly from carry. See Chapter 2.
Corporate venture capital vs venture capital: what is the difference?
VC invests LPs' money for financial returns. Tencent Investment is a classic strategic CVC that weighs both financial returns and business synergy, so interviews often ask very concrete business questions. GV is funded by Alphabet but puts more emphasis on independent investing and financial returns. Objectives differ across CVCs too. If you already work at a major tech company, CVC is often the smoothest route into investing. See Chapter 2.
What is a family office, and are family office jobs a good career?
A family office manages the wealth and affairs of one or a few families. It invests the family's own money, which makes it a capital owner. Alongside financial skill, it values taste, emotional intelligence and judgment. Hong Kong had about 3,380 single-family offices at the end of 2025, roughly 680 more than two years earlier. See Chapter 2.
What does a venture capital portfolio operations team do?
Its core job is helping portfolio companies grow: recruiting, building teams, driving growth and operations, connecting customers and ecosystem resources, and tracking key projects. People from consulting, operations, Fortune 500 companies and MBA programs are a strong fit. See Chapter 3.
How do I get into venture capital without experience?
Answer three questions first: which kind of VC, which function and what proof to prepare. Starting points include internships, scout and fellowship programs, startup or accelerator work, technical research, portfolio operations, banking, asset management and CVC. See the full guide for candidates without experience.
Can I get into VC without a finance degree?
Yes. STEM graduates can move into research and deep tech investing; product and technical backgrounds fit CVC, portfolio support and technology roles; humanities, media and marketing backgrounds fit marketing and community or IR. Your degree isn't the barrier. What matters is connecting your background to the role and showing proof. See the paths for non-finance candidates.
How can a PhD get into venture capital?
The most direct paths are research and deep tech investing roles, such as Ajinomoto Group Ventures' Technical Venture Fellowship for PhD candidates and postdocs. Bank industry groups and asset managers' quant and research teams also value PhD-level depth. Know in advance that deep tech investing requires understanding both technology and business.
What should international students know about VC recruiting?
Check work authorization first: some US roles state they don't offer visa sponsorship, and some UK roles require existing right to work at the time of application. Also look at roles in mainland China and Hong Kong, and at overseas roles where Chinese language skills are an advantage, and watch campus deadlines in each region.
I have 1–3 years of work experience. Can I still move into VC?
Yes. Our list focuses on internships and campus roles, and roles suited to experienced candidates are tagged "Check fit." If you have Big Tech, consulting or banking experience, CVC, portfolio teams and growth-stage funds are all good directions.
Should I join a tech company or a VC first?
It depends on what you want. When a company grows well and its equity pays off, a tech job can offer more equity upside than a traditional finance role, though with more uncertainty. VC gives you perspective, a network, judgment and long-term carry. Many excellent investors worked in product or business roles at tech companies before moving into VC. If you're unsure, go where you'll learn fastest.
SOURCES & DATA NOTES
Roles, salaries and recruiting dates come from employers' official postings or employer-published information (October 2026). Assets under management come from each institution's public disclosures, with dates noted in the text. Everything else reflects my own first-hand observation and is for reference only. Always check the employer's official page.